Rex Aftermath (Elei's Chronicles) Read Online Free PDF Page B

rusty.”
    Mantis raised a brow, amusement flickering in his dark eyes like a distant light. “I heard Gultur have a dry sense of humor, but hells, I never thought—”
    “On your left,” Sacmis hissed, grabbing the stabilizer lever, swaying in the co-driver’s seat. “Incoming.”
    “Hold on.” Hera swerved, ramming the vehicle into an alley and praying they’d fit.
    “We still have them at our backs.” Sacmis drew her longgun and stood, sliding the window panel open. “I’ll slow them down.”
    Mantis was already crouching at the back, aiming through a crack in the back window. “I’m shooting for their front engine.”
    “Mortals.” Sacmis scoffed. “I’m going for the driver.”
    Hera bit her lip, torn between laughing and groaning out loud. “Just slow them,” she ground out. “Don’t stop them.”
    They were the decoy, the red flag. Four other aircars carrying Mantis’ people were heading in another direction. He should have been with them; he was the leader of the resistance. He had to remain alive to end the war.
    But he’d said the most important thing right now was that Hera and Sacmis stay alive to lead the way to the war machine and find out how to operate it.
    And she was glad he was with her, so she could keep an eye on him. It gave her an illusion of control.
    Sacmis fired and cursed, drawing back.
    “Are you okay?” Hera gave her a quick once-over, relaxing when she saw no blood.
    “Fine. Missed.”
    Another shot rang from the back.
    “Mantis?” Hera glanced at him through the rear-view mirror.
    “Got them.” He cocked his head to the side, tipped his gun toward the ceiling of the vehicle and grinned. “Get us out of here.”
    Hera did not need to be told twice. She drove into a broad street, slowed briefly, and took the lane going south, entering the stream of aircars and streetcars, her hands shaking on the lever. 
    “And you get down,” Sacmis hissed at Mantis, “or a stray bullet might hit you.”
    “You’re just mad ’cause you missed and I didn’t.” He winked, his mouth twitching, but sat down nevertheless, the gun propped between his legs. “A lowly mortal getting the prize.” He clucked his tongue. “Worried?”
    “Beginner’s luck.” Sacmis sniffed and it made Hera smile. She knew Sacmis well, and knew it was all an act. She hoped Mantis knew it, too.
    At this crawling pace they’d be caught in no time. An opening to her right promised a way out of the street. She saw the military aircars driving toward them as she turned and she gunned the engine, cursing.
    “We need to lose them before we find the others,” Mantis muttered and Hera shook her head, her hair slipping from the bun at her nape and tickling her neck.
    As if she did not know. What did he think she was trying to do, go to the market for fresh bread?
    Clamping down on her temper, she sent the aircar zigzagging through the side-street, then shot onto an avenue and barely avoided a frontal collision with a heavy transport car. Still, the aircar grazed the air cushion and spun, wedging itself into the slow, north-bound lane.
    Dammit. Trapped. She scanned the buildings at the side, ready to take the next exit out of the avenue.
    Just to prove things could always get worse, another patrol car approached from the other side, and bullets rapped on the metal casing. Soon the rounds would penetrate, killing everyone — or they’d hit the air cushion and deflate it. This was no military car whose aircushions were protected.
    The small, private aircars at the front barely advanced. The oncoming lane moved fast, but patrol cars waited for them there. Yet she could see no side streets, no escape.
    Hera slammed her hand on the control panel.
    “To your right,” Sacmis snapped and leaned Hera’s backrest to aim through the window. A shot rang, deafening, and Hera jerked forward, sending them crashing into a tall streetcar. Pain bloomed on her temple and she fought to clear her darkening